Fifth-wheel



(No Model.) L

A. E. HERMAN.

FIPIH WHEEL. No. 480,403. Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

mmm

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH E. HERMAN, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,403, dated August9, 1892.

Application filed October 21, 1891. Serial No. 409,427. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLPH HERMAN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFifth-Wheels; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figuresof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

It is the object of my invention to provide a simple and compact form offifth-Wheel in which the number of elements would be reduced to aminimum and the action of the wheel rendered most effective.

The invention consists in a fifth-wheel suspended or held beneath theaxle, one section being secured thereto and a reach or bracket extendingin arched form over the axle and connected with the other section of thefifthwheel in front and rear, the reach being free from connection withthe axle and serving to support the front spring.

My invention combines with the features above noted a special feature ofanti-friction balls interposed between the section of the fifth-wheel,the whole combination being such as to render the device most compactand effective.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional View, Fig. 2 a plan,and Fig. 3 a front view.

In the drawings, the axle A and the front spring B are of ordinaryconstruction. The fifth-wheel is composed of two sections, the meetingfaces of which have semicircular grooves therein, which are broughttogether to form a channel, as in my patent of the United States, No.426,271, granted on the 22d day of April, 1890, into which anti-frictionballs are introduced. The sections thus lie in the same horizontal planeand together constitute a ring cylindrical in cross-section. The innersection 1 has a central cross-brace 2, extending from front to rear, andat its sides it is formed with lugs 3. This sectionis suspended frombeneath the axle by means of suitable clips 4, which pass through thelugs and openings in the cross-brace 2 and are secured by nuts 5 ontheir lower ends. The cross-brace and the upper surface of the innersection find a bearing on the under side of the axle andthe connectionis rendered rigid. The outer section 6 of the fifth-wheel has on itsrear side integral extensions 7, which diverge from each other and towhich the reaches or braces 8 are connected. These curve upwardly fromthe upper surface of the fifthwheel and converge into a plate 9, locateddirectly over the axle, but free from connection therewith. The platehas a forward extension 10, constituting, practically, a forwardextension of the reaches, and this curves downwardly and is bolted to alug formed on the outer section 6 of the fifth-wheel. The plate 9extends laterally far enough to afford a bearing for the front spring,which is connected directly thereto. The curved reaches, the plate, andthe forward extension form an arch over the axle, which arch at its endsis supported upon the outer section of the fifthwheel, which in turnfurnishes a firm support for the spring. It will be seen that theelements are arranged in the most compact form and the inner sectionwith the axle is permitted to turn freely through a large enough arc tomeet all the requirements of the vehicle. From this construction it willbe seen that the ordinary head-block is dispensed with. It will benoticed that the inner section is wider at the bottom than at the topand the meeting faces areinclined. This construction furnishesadditional support to the outer section than is afforded by theconnecting-balls alone.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination, the axle, the section 1 ofthe fifth-wheel. secured thereto, a second section 6, supported by thefirst,and the arched brace extending over the sections and connected tothe second sectionG, and the spring carried by said arch, substantiallyas described.

2. I11 combination, the axle, the fifth-wheel comprising the twosections beneath the axle, one section being secured thereto, the archedbrace extending from side to side of the second section 6, said archextending over the axle and being free therefrom, and a spring supportedthereon, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the two sections arranged in the same horizontalplane with their vertical faces adjacent to each other, means forholding the sections together, means for supporting the inner section tothe axle and beneath the same, the arched brace extending over the axleand connected to the outer section, and the spring supported upon saidarched brace, substantially as described.

t. In combination, the fifth-wheel comprising the first section securedto the axle, the second section supported by the first, the reachconnected to the second section and converging into aplate 9 above theaxle, and an extension 10, curving downwardly and connected ADOLPH E.HERMAN.

Witnesses:

M. A. HERMAN, GEO. 0. SMITH.

